Honey Walnut Filling For Hamantashen Food

HAMANTASCHEN

Steps:

• Make the dough: Beat the butter, both sugars, the egg, milk, vanilla and maple extract (if using) with a mixer on medium-high speed. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and beat until fully incorporated.
• Divide the dough into thirds and wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Form the hamantaschen: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375˚ F. Roll out one piece of dough on a floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Use the rim of a juice glass to cut out 3-inch circles. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Spoon a teaspoon of the apricot preserves into the center of each circle of dough.
• Fold in the edges of the dough to form a triangle, pinching at the corners to keep the filling in but leaving the center filling slightly exposed.
• Bake the hamantaschen: Arrange the hamantaschen on 2 baking sheets (use nonstick pans or line the pans with parchment paper).
• Bake, rotating and switching the pans halfway through, until the hamantaschen are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Let cool a few minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.

HONEY WALNUT FILLING FOR HAMANTASHEN

Steps:

• Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until very thick.

HONEYED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine walnuts, honey, and salt in a bowl. Toss to coat, and spread in a single layer onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until toasted, about 15 minutes. Let cool.

FRUIT-FILLED HAMANTASCHEN FROM PHILADELPHIA

Steps:

• 1. To make the filling, simmer the prunes and raisins together in the water, covered, for 15 minutes or until the prunes are softened but still firm.
• 2. Add the nuts, then put the mixture through a grinder or chop in a food processor with the apple. Add the lemon juice and rind and sugar and mix well.
• 3. To make the dough, cream the margarine or butter with the sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and continue creaming until smooth. A food processor is great for this.
• 4. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Process until a ball of dough is formed.
• 5. Chill for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
• 6. Taking one fourth of the dough, roll out on a lightly floured board to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles. With your finger, brush water around the rim of the circle. Drop 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Then bring the dough around the filling and press 3 ends together.
• 7. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven on a well-greased cookie sheet for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tips are golden.

ALL-THE-SEEDS HAMANTASCHEN

Steps:

• Dough
• Whisk baking powder, salt, and 1½ cups (188 g) flour in a medium bowl to combine. Set aside. Beat butter, cream cheese, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and orange zest and beat, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, just until combined. Reduce speed to low and with motor running, gradually add dry ingredients. Beat until dough comes together and no streaks of dry flour remain.
• Divide dough in half and place each half on a piece of beeswax or plastic wrap. Pat into a 1"-thick disk. Wrap tightly and chill until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Filling
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Mix pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ¼ cup poppy seeds, and ¼ cup sesame seeds in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat honey in a small saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally with a heatproof rubber spatula, until it bubbles and foams and turns dark amber (an instant read thermometer should register 300°F), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in tahini and ¾ tsp. salt. Pour over seeds and stir to coat. Let cool slightly (you want the mixture to be as hot as possible since it hardens as it cools, but not so hot you could burn your hands). Working quickly, scoop out heaping teaspoonfuls of filling and roll into 24 balls.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to a scant ¼" thick. Punch out cookies with cutter. Transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. (You should ideally have 12 cookies per baking sheet.) They won't spread, so don't worry about getting them close. Gather up and reroll any scraps.
• Beat egg with 1 Tbsp. water and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Working one at a time, brush rounds with egg wash and place a ball of filling in the center. Fold sides of dough up to make a triangle, pinching corners to seal. Brush sides of dough with egg wash and sprinkle with more sesame seeds and poppy seeds.
• Bake hamantaschen, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until crust is golden brown and filling is puffed, 18-22 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets.
• Do ahead: Cookies can be baked 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

WALNUT FILLING

Steps:

• Cook walnuts with milk and flour.
• Mix well with the egg yolks.
• Cream butter with the sugar; add to the walnut mixture.